Tag: Doors

Fire Doors Frames & Leaves

Any gaps, such as those between double fire doors, must not be larger than specified by installation instructions and both door and frame must show no distortion between top, frame and stiles. Door leaves with only minor damage may be repaired though any clearly major defects in frame or leaves necessitate immediate replacement.

Glazing

Cracks in vision panels require that the glass be immediately replaced – this is essential no matter how insignificant the crack may appear to be as smoke and gas can easily penetrate, preventing the fire doorset from achieving its full FD rating. The same is true when beading has become worn and damaged.

Intumescent Seals

Damaged or badly-fitted seals should be replaced with the same kind as in the original specification – if smoke seals require replacing, one continuous length is preferable to fixing piecemeal. Seals that have been exposed to any major rise in temperature need immediate replacement and visual examinations should be regularly carried out.

Opening & Closing

Fire doors should close fully without any binding to the floor – check that this occurs when the door closes from a variety of open widths. The door should not slam and should be closed within 10 seconds when let go from around 90 degrees. Never wedge a fire door open – fire doors with hold-open devices should have this device at the opposite end of the door from the closing device.

Ironmongery

Check that all ironmongery fixings are secure and remember that many hinges, locks and closer arms etc. may need lubrication to function correctly. Components must be replaced on a like-for-like basis to ensure consistency and a tell-tale sign of impending failure is dark markings appearing around hinge knuckles. Levers and locks should return fully to horizontal when released.

Safety Signs

These are mandatory (BS 5499 regarding standards for sighting and size of fire door safety signs), to be fitted to every non-domestic fire door at eye level. Any sign which has been removed, damaged or otherwise tampered with must, by law, be immediately replaced to ensure relevant information, such as date of installation and fire rating, is clearly and constantly visible.

Time to replace your fire doors? Contact the BCS team now to start your journey.

It has been recognised for a long time that hospital patients subjected to a noisy environment do not recover as well or as quickly as those who enjoy a quieter area. Thankfully, as advances in acoustic door technology continue, more and more patients are benefitting from reduced sound levels.

General daytime sound levels in hospitals have steadily increased throughout the years, leaping from an average of 57dB in 1960 to current levels of around 72dB. When this fact is considered in conjunction with the 85dB level at which ear protection is legally required, it becomes clear that providing peaceful, private areas is absolutely essential to the wellbeing of both patients and staff.

One of the earliest studies into the effects of noise on patients was carried out in 1968 and showed that patients (recovering from surgery to remove cataracts) in noisy environments required far more medication post-surgery than similar patients housed in quiet rooms. Excess noise has been shown to impair sleep and to cause changes in blood pressure and respiration, none of which are helpful in patient recovery.

Noisy environments have also been shown to negatively impact on employee health, morale and productivity, meaning that nurses, doctors and auxiliary staff suffer just as badly. Acoustic doors offer a way to negate the issues and a more structured, comfortable working environment is quickly created and maintained.

The importance of fire doors is once again made clear with this incident, which could have turned out very differently had they not been installed or had been illegally held open.

The cause of the fire, which began in a tumble dryer at Summerlands Care Home at around 11pm, is now under investigation.

Summerlands Care Home caters to several vulnerable adults, most of whom were able to evacuate the building without assistance. Several adults were rescued by the attending fire crews and two were taken to hospital for treatment due to smoke inhalation.

Jason Boh, who was in his role as Watch Manager of Southsea Fire Station when the fire occurred, said: the incident could have been a lot worse if the fire doors at either end of the corridor leading up to the laundry room had not been firmly secured. He noted that the fire doors had done their job and kept smoke and flames contained within a small area. If they had been open, he added, it could have been much more severe and we could have been looking at fatalities.

The laundry room and corridor were both badly damaged by fire and smoke though, apart from the two cases of mild smoke inhalation, no one was injured. Residents were accommodated in another nearby care home while the blaze was dealt with and fire crews departed at 1:30AM, giving the all clear for residents to be brought back to the building. Elysia Fung, the Deputy Manager at Summerlands Care Home, praised the efforts of emergency staff, saying: We are hugely appreciative of the efforts and help given to us by the fire service and the ambulance service.

Are your fire doors up to scratch? Bespoke Complete Services exist to work in close partnership with your organisation, producing custom fire doorset solutions that are designed to the ultimate standard. To find out more just give us a call. BCS – Protecting Lives with Quality Fire Doors.

Over 3m fire doors, most fabricated from timber, re installed in the UK every year and fire doorsets from BCS are tested to ensure they meet all of the strict safety and quality standards set out by the industry.

Here are some essential dos and don’ts to think about when installing vital fire doors.

DO choose to work with a certified, experienced supplier for fire doors along with frames, ironmongery and other components. BCS have a long history of achievement and utilise materials and processes of the highest standard to ensure our fire doors are unmatched in quality.

DO check the fire door safety certificate. Make sure all of the information is correct and clearly visible.

DON’T cut vision panels on site. Pre-hung fire doorsets from BCS can be supplied with glazed vision panels cut to any size and shape and secured using our innovative flush beading system.

DO ensure the correct certification is chosen for the door’s intended use. We produce fire doors with ratings of between FD30 and FD120.

DON’T make on site repairs. If a fire door is damaged it should not be simply patched up as its FD rating has become compromised. Never take risks in this way.

DO make sure that all fire door ironmongery is CE marked for quality.

DON’T wedge or prop open fire doors. A survey among fire-risk assessors found that 65% of premises they inspected had wedged-open fire doors – this is an illegal, dangerous practice.

DO take advantage of extra options to create the bespoke fire door. We offer a massive range of paint grade finishes to create veneered doors that can be given extra protective components for high frequency use.

DON’T become a statistic. In a recent review that looked at 100 cases pursued under the Fire Safety Order, inadequate fire doors were the second-highest reason for prosecutions.

Size & Shape

Core Choice

Our fire rated doors are supplied with a choice of solid timber or particleboard core, both of which are certified by the industry to meet acoustic, mechanical and fire-related test standards. Both materials represent a sustainable, environmentally-friendly choice.

Fire Rating

Fire ratings are represented by the letters FD followed by a number which, in turn, represents the minimum amount of time in minutes that the door is designed to withstand fire. BCS supply fire doors to FD30, FD60, FD90 and FD120 ratings.

We can easily create vision panels of bespoke size and shape to meet any requirements and a range of quality glazing materials is also available.

Extra Protection

We have a range of options available to provide extra protection in vulnerable areas subject to high frequency of use such as hospital doors. Contact our skilled technical team for further advice and information on our heavy-duty fire doors.

Double Door with Vision Panels

Double Zebrano Doors

Maple Door Single

Zebrano Door Single

Contact BCS today to find out how we can provide your building with safe, attractive and durable fire doors.

Countless lives have been saved since fire doors became a mandatory feature of public building design and workplaces. Although their name suggests they only prevent the spread of fire itself, the first function of fire doorsets in an emergency is help stop creeping, lethal smoke.

Smoke inhalation is one of the biggest threats to survival in the event of a fire; the lack of oxygen quickly causes anyone trapped within to lose consciousness, preventing them from escaping the oncoming flames. Buildings are compartmentalised with fire doors separating the sections to slow down the spread of smoke – but how is this achieved?

Intumescent strips are installed onto fire doors, sealing them once closed and preventing any spread of toxic smoke. Each seal has been carefully installed into pre-cut grooves in the fire doorsets and, in the event of fire, growing temperatures cause the seals cellular structure to expand, completely filling the gap. The door edges become less susceptible to early damage and increase potentially life-saving evacuation time.

Quality testing of such vital doors and components is of course extensive, rigorous and tightly-regulated by British Standards and Certifire. The testing includes recreating as closely as possible the conditions of a real building fire with a number of different factors, such as complete fire door assembly, a variety of frames and all fitted ironmongery, being carefully examined.

Fire doorsets are deemed to have lost their integrity once the door has burned to a point where cracks have formed that flames can pass through or where burning occurs on the unexposed door face; total failure occurs when the fire door collapses completely. The time it takes for total failure to occur forms the FD rating, which is generally set at FD 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes.

Fire doorsets from BCS have been thoroughly tested by an approved Fire Testing Centre and fully certified for quality.

Bespoke Fire Doors

FD30 paint grade doors with glazed vision panel

Veneered Doors from Bespoke Complete Services

Make sure you comply with the law on Fire Doors – choose BCS for professional, lasting quality. See our work here.

BCS were excited to receive photographs of a newly-completed project in which more than 40 of our bespoke doors and doorsets were used. New Cross Hospital, located in Wolverhampton, is now benefiting from a modern extension to its busy A&E department and, in the words of a spokesperson from the hospital’s management staff, it looks fantastic…well done MTX!. We proudly share these images with you here.

MTX Contracts are a leading engineering and construction company whose focus is on healthcare-based projects. By consistently promoting the use of MMCs (Modern Methods of Construction) and purchasing materials from highly-renowned companies such as BCS, MTX Contracts have successfully built a hugely-impressive reputation for consistent quality and reliability.

Built originally in 1900 as an imposing workhouse, New Cross Hospital opened its doors in 1970. Since then, various additions have been made, including the UK’s first purpose-built centre for specialist heart and lung treatment. With over 700 beds and a staff of more than 5000, New Cross Hospital is the biggest teaching hospital in the West Midlands.

More than 40 bespoke doors were manufactured for the extension project, each built to the impeccable standards for which BCS are known. Our severe-duty particleboard core was faced with laminate and high-impact PVC protection sheets before PVC edge-guards were added.

Vision panels were included in the doors, each was glazed using clear fire rated glass, laminated for extra strength and ease-of-maintenance. Each panel was securely beaded using contrasting beech hardwood cloaking beads utilising our innovative flush-bead system which will help to prevent damage and extend service life.

Before being carefully conveyed to site, the hospital doors were secured in pre-primed, hardwood frames using class 13 satin stainless steel hinges, complete with architraves to facilitate installation.

It was fantastic to receive news that this project has been completed and we would like to congratulate MTX Contracts on the professional job they carried out using bespoke doors from BCS.

Everyone at Bespoke Complete Services is looking forward to 2015 and the fresh projects, challenges and successes it is set to bring. The New Year is always a busy time as renovation projects begin or resume in earnest and BCS will continue with our constant commitment to the professional and consistent development, production and supply of bespoke doors and doorsets to a diverse array of building and renovation projects.

We specialise in providing bespoke doors, doorsets and bespoke fire doors of impeccable quality, all of which are officially and independently tested to ensure total compliance with every relevant health & safety specification. Pre-assembled to maximise efficiency and convenience, our bespoke doors and doorsets are quick and easy to install, providing a dramatic saving on labour costs.

The innovative and effective Strebord core that forms the base of our ‘Severe Duty’ rated bespoke doors provides incredible strength, functionality and safety, leading to their being selected for many high-profile construction and renovation projects in educational and medical establishments. We look forward to further improving and developing these doorsets in 2015.

The Safehinge, a patented device which prevents fingers from becoming trapped in doors, continued to grow in popularity throughout 2014 and is set to become even more widespread this year. More than 30,000 injuries, many serious, were reported in 2014 and the Safehinge seeks to reduce this shocking number in 2015.

We would like to wish our customers and staff a very happy and prosperous New Year!

Call BCS on 01254 777142 or e-mail info@bcs-l.com for more information on our bespoke doors and doorsets including acoustic doors, performance doors and fire doors.

Choosing to add a veneer to a door offers many benefits, from extra durability and enhanced aesthetics to a lowered carbon footprint. Veneered doors are installed extensively across a wide range of locations, from hotels and function suites to hospitals, offices and schools. Bespoke Complete Services are expert manufacturers and suppliers of veneered doors and can quickly and easily create the ideal solution for any given project.

Our talented team combine the latest technology with traditional, tried-and-trusted crafting methods to create our selection of bespoke doors. Starting with our innovative solid particleboard core, which has been extensively tested to ensure it adheres strictly to every specification set out by the industry, our bespoke doors are created to your exact standards, including a full complement of glazing options. We then apply one of six professional crown-cut veneers; each of these veneers has an attractive finish that is semi-matt in appearance.

The environmentally-conscious properties of our veneered doors make them the ideal product for businesses wishing to source sustainable timber; combined with the veneers, which display remarkable carbon-storing qualities, this means that our bespoke doors are the greenest possible choice.

One of our most popular veneered doors is the Ewood, which can be supplied to any bespoke size or shape and is available with unglazed or glazed vision panels. We are proud to supply this door at an extremely competitive price and with a rapid lead time in order to ensure your project can continue unhindered.

Fire doors are a specialty at Bespoke Complete Services and these products are guaranteed to fully comply with the legal specifications of the fire door industry. Results data are listed below.

Acoustic Test Result – Up to 35db rated

Fire Test Result – FD60 and FD30 grades

Mechanical Test Result – 500,000 cycles with no evident degradation of ironmongery (PAS32)

Class 4 Severe Duty Rating, the highest standard (DD171/BS EN 1192)

To find out more about the professional-quality products offered by Bespoke Complete Services, including veneered doors, fire doors, acoustic doors and bespoke joinery, please call 01254 777142 or email info@bcs-l.com.

September 2014 saw the launch of Fire Door Safety Week (FDSW), the first in a series of planned yearly events raising awareness of the importance of fire doors and their correct installation and maintenance. Declared a great success by all concerned, the event will take place again in September 2015 and, although this is some way off, the organisers are already looking for fresh ideas.

FDSW was created with the intention of engaging, educating and encouraging the owners of commercial and residential buildings to raise their awareness of the crucial role fire doors play in saving lives and property. The 2014 campaign was supported by nearly 100 various organisations including the official government ‘Fire Kills’ initiative, the ASFP (Association for Specialist Fire Protection) and the FBU (Fire Brigades Union).

Around 3 million new fire doors are installed each year in the United Kingdom, the majority being fabricated from timber. The laws surrounding the safe installation, use and maintenance of fire doors are very clear but the shocking results of a recent review detailing 100 cases of prosecution under the Fire Safety Order 2005 show that improperly-installed, defective, misused or neglected fire doors were the number 2 reason for those prosecutions.

Bespoke Complete Services specialise in providing fire doors of professional quality to a vast and diverse range of buildings, from educational establishments and hospitals to luxury hotels. An infinite array of design options allows for the ideal bespoke door to be created for any application, with the complete guarantee that it will meet and exceed the strict specifications in the ‘approved documents’ that constitute legally-binding building regulations.

You can find out more about FDSW 2014 and help shape next year’s event by visiting www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk and you can tweet your ideas using #FireDoorSafetyWeek as well.

For more information on the quality bespoke fire doors available for direct supply by us, please call 01254 777142 or e-mail info@bcs-l.com.

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Bespoke Complete Services Limited is a leader in Fire Door manufacture, providing value-added Complete Services to our customers by creating a successful partnership with them throughout the order process. Our pledge is to establish lasting and mutually beneficial relationships...